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 CRUISERS OF THE FUTURE
A Survey from the Passenger Shipping Association
The what, where and how of UK cruising
The UK cruise industry is setting its sights on an annual cruise target of 1.4 million holidaymakers.
After a disappointing growth of 1 per cent in 2000 instead of the forecast 10 per cent, projected growth for 2001 is a more conservative 5 per cent to 920,000.
The first ever survey into "Cruisers of the Future", carried out by the Passenger Shipping Association, has identified clear character groups most likely to cruise in the future, as well as significant market growth.
Says William Gibbons, PSA director: "This survey shows a bright future for the cruise industry with clear opportunity for growth. We already stand as the second largest global cruise industry, and the largest in Europe.
"Having identified a current potential of 1.4 million UK passengers each year, compared to just over 870,000 in 2000, it is clear that we now have to work to build on our already staggering growth over the last decade.
"Our market potential is set to grow further as the cruise industry taps further beyond the pent up demand and into new areas."
Nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed who had not yet taken a cruise agreed that cruises were a great way to see places and meet people, as well well as being good value for money.
The survey also identified the perceived barriers to cruising being that they were for older people and that they were expensive.
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